PHOENIX — State health officials are stepping up their response to the deadly coronavirus in anticipation of an outbreak in Arizona, according to documents obtained by 12 News.
Health Services Director Cara Christ says the heightened response was prompted by a new coronavirus patient in California who had no apparent exposure to the illness.
"Now that it has become clear that there is a higher likelihood of community spread within the U.S., you may notice public health measures begin to shift to slow the spread of the virus rather than to contain it," Christ said in an email Thursday night to state lawmakers.
Christ said a community outbreak would make it difficult to isolate patients and quarantine their contacts.
Public health officials might call for "social distancing," by encouraging companies to let employees work from home and event organizers to reduce or cancel large gatherings.
"Now is a good time to ensure plans are in place to deal with absenteeism," Christ told state agency directors in an email.
The new steps include:
- Starting Monday, the use of coronavirus test kits provided by the federal Centers for Disease Control. The state has about 150 of the kits and expects to receive more, according to a DHS spokesman.
The State Public Health Laboratory will use the kits to test swabs of potential coronavirus patients provided by doctors.
The lab was certified Thursday to use the test kits.
- A more aggressive messaging campaign with schools, health care providers, law enforcement and other key groups about dealing with a coronavirus outbreak.
Arizona has had just one reported case of coronavirus, a person connected with Arizona State University who had returned from a trip to China. He was released from isolation after testing negative for the illness.
Christ said he didn't spread the illness to anyone in Arizona.
